Eyes of the Innocent
by Splitheartwarrior
Summary: A young (and rather unimportant) mage accidentally summons a venomous demon which attacks Guin and the gang – this takes place while he is traveling with the twins, Istavan, and Sunni. Guin gets scratched and thinks nothing of it but the mage sees it and casts a spell to keep the poison in the scratch from killing him. Now the group has to deal with a child Guin. Disclaimer inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Eyes of the Innocent**

**Basic summery**

So this is a short story idea for Guin saga centering around the idea that Guin is turned into a kid, or (de-aged) to be more accurate. I _may_ make an alternate version later where Guin is de-aged but not regressed. To sum it up in short, a young (and rather unimportant) mage accidentally summoned a venomous demon which attacks Guin and the gang – this takes place while he is traveling with the twins, Istavan, and Sunni – where it is killed. Guin gets scratched and thinks nothing of it but the mage sees it and casts a spell to keep the poison in the scratch from killing him. Now the group has to deal with a child Guin till the spell wears off.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Aw fiddle sticks!" a short kid spits out in frustration as he stumbles over yet another branch, his large hat flopping down over his eyes. Standing up the boy dusted himself off in disgust, why his sensei insisted on training him in the middle of nowhere was beyond him. Weren't mages supposed to stay where they could get customers? Shrugging his shoulders the boy decides it is a good thing, at the moment anyway. Only Janos knows what kind of disaster would take place had this happened in a populated area. The kid shuddered when he thought about it; he was already going to be in trouble for the ruined hut. Like a stubborn idiot he'd decided he could practice summonings on his own, but instead of a baby tree imp he'd gotten a vine hound – and not just any vine hound – he'd gotten a rotting vine hound. Now you might be wondering what's so bad about a rotting vine hound aside from its smell. To put it bluntly, they're coated in dried lethal venom that poison's its enemy via an injury.

A loud crunch startled the boy, but he quickly put on his "game face" and ran towards it. Maybe he wouldn't be in as much trouble if he got rid of the creature before his sensei got back. "Ayiii!" _curse the fates_ the boy thought in a panic, why were there people out here? Sprinting as fast as his legs would allow the young apprentice bolted forth with his wand in hand. *whine* the boy halted at the edge of the clearing, his eyes on the creature as it struggled against the sword in its head before fading into nothingness. "Are you alright children?" a tall muscular figure with… a leopard's head?... asked as he yanked his sword out of the ground. "Y-yes, thanks Guin." A silver-white haired boy answered. "Figures you'd be able to kill it." A black haired man scoffed as he walked over to inspect where the hound had previously been, ignoring the glare he received from a silver-white haired girl.

The young mage had hidden himself in a nearby bush while observing the group. "Alfetto… alfetto ryaado!" a young semu girl cried as she ran towards the leopard warrior, followed by the girl. "Sunni, what's wrong?" she asked while glancing at the warrior, "G-Guin! You're hurt!" Guin just glanced at the long shallow scratch on his chest and shrugged it off, "It's just a scratch Rinda, nothing to worry over." His response seemed to calm the two girls, but hidden from the group the young apprentice was in a panic. _Not good not good not GOOD!_ The group gathered to get ready to leave so the boy pulled out his wand. _I hope this works_ he thought as he recalled an old spell he'd seen in one of the emergency scrolls. Speaking barely above a whisper he cast the spell, "Turn the clock and let age become strength, to stave off thine venomous fate. Dormant shall the years lay till death's harsh whisper fades away." A soft light glowed at the tip of the boy's wand, signaling that the spell had been successful. Breathing a sigh of relief the boy turned and headed back to the hut, he would gladly take any punishment his sensei gave him after this. He'd nearly cost someone their life.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

The group had been traveling for a while and decided to make up camp since the sky was now colorful with the setting sun. Guin was leaning against one of the trees, he felt really dizzy. "Oy leopard head", Istavan called from his spot by the fire, "you asleep on your feet or something?" Guin just grunted in response. _Too dizzy_. Istavan raised one of his eyebrows and scoffed in annoyance. Guin's vision suddenly blurred. "Guin!" Istavan shouted in shock, jumping to his feet as the leopard warrior suddenly collapsed onto the ground. Rinda was by his side before the mercenary. "He's burning up," she said as she placed a hand on the warrior's shoulder. Hearing this, Remus ran and grabbed one of the water canteens before rushing over; remembering when they'd first met Guin.

Despite managing to lower the fever Guin didn't wake up. "Damn idiot should have said something," Istavan muttered as he sat at the base of a tree, he wouldn't admit it but he'd started to actually care about the warrior and even see him as a friend. Guin was now lying under a cloak – which Istavan had "grudgingly" given – near the campfire. Rinda, Remus, and Sunni were lying around the fire as well and were sound asleep. _Guess this means I've got first watch_ he thought as he stifled a yawn. He was NOT going to let himself fall asleep.

**000000000000000000000000**

The group was startled awake my a muffled cry followed by… was that a growl? Rinda looked towards the cause of the noise and gasped, "Where's Guin?" Istavan was on his feet in seconds, sword drawn and pointed at the moving bundle of cloth where Guin had been laying earlier. "Whatever is under here should know," he said in a low voice as he poked it lightly. A frightened squeak came from the bundle as it fell back, the cloak finally freeing the creature underneath. "What in the world?" everyone was awake now and was staring at the small form before them. His skin was tan and he was at least a hand shorter than Rinda. His head was that of a leopard cub, the fur fluffed out in all directions. "Guin?"

The child shrank back from the group's stare while making a squeaky attempt at a growl. Istavan burst out laughing, "What was that? A sad attempt to try and act tough?" "Istavan!" Rinda scolded him before turning to the cub. _He's scared…_ "What is wrong Guin?" she asked soothingly as she cautiously approached him. "How do you know my name?" Guin said in a guarded response, fear flashing in his wide eyes. Judging by his voice he couldn't be any older than 5 or 6 years old. _He doesn't remember…_ "We are friends," she finally told him. He didn't appear to believe her. "I-I'm not an idiot!" Guin shot back in an angry voice, "You're gonna kill or sell me aren't you!" That had everyone frozen in shock, a feeling of horror and dread gripping them. "No Guin, we won't do that. Why do you believe we would?"

Guin kept his muscles tense and ready to spring into action at a moment's notice, just as his father had taught him. He didn't trust them, they were humans. "Isn't that what humans always do! Attack what they don't understand and take advantage of what they can!" He could feel tears streaming down his face as the memories flooded his vision, _those people will pay for what they did._ No one knew what to do or say to the trembling cub, just what had happened to him exactly? Sunni walked over the Guin, catching his attention. _Why is a Semu with them?_ "~~~~~~", Sunni quietly talked to Guin telling him that these people were different, and especially that Rinda had saved her from an evil count. The cub seemed to relax a little, though he was still wary of the man holding the sword that had poked him earlier. If a semu trusted them then maybe they really were different, he could at least try to give them a chance. Turning his gaze back to the people he gave a cautious smile, "I don't really trust you people, but if this Semu… Sunni right? Trusts you I guess I can give you a chance."

"I'm so relieved," Remus said in the background, glad that the tension had somewhat drained. Guin just stared at them for a moment with a serious look on his face. "You know my name but I don't know yours', so it's only fair you tell me," he stated while crossing his arms in what almost looked like a pout. Rinda just smiled in amusement and gave the introductions. Once everyone had been introduced they all returned to sitting around the campfire, Guin made a point to avoid the "evil" cloak he'd been trapped under earlier. Almost as soon as he sat down near the cozy warmth of the fire he fell asleep, a peaceful expression on his face. "Damn, out cold in seconds," Istavan said in amusement, "This little episode must have worn the kid out." It was late so they all went back to getting some sleep, they'd try to figure out why Guin was a kid in the morning.

**00000000000000000000000**

Morning had been hectic and hilarious. Apparently Guin wasn't a big fan of dried fruit and insisted on going hunting, but to his dismay there was nothing to catch. They eventually convinced him that they'd go hunting later if he ate the at least some of the food, and after making a face he unhappily agreed. Guin had then insisted that he should be allowed to carry one of the swords since there appeared to be an extra, but Istavan argued that children shouldn't carry such large weapons. In the end Guin got to carry one for a bit until his arms got sore, which took longer than they'd expected. He may have been a kid but he was still strong for his age.

They'd managed to travel for a few hours before finally stopping to take a break, and to stop Remus' whining. Guin didn't understand why the boy complained, it wasn't THAT much of a walk, and he was bored in minutes. A game of tag sounded fun, but he couldn't exactly ask them to play… he still was unsure of them. Suddenly a small shadow drifted across his line of sight, something was floating above them. Tingling with excitement Guin dashed after the floating thing and leapt into the air while swiping at it with his hands. He missed. Not the least bit discouraged he leapt again and again into the air after the mystery creature swiping and clawing in an attempt to catch it. Running up the side of a boulder he yelled in triumph as he finally brought the floating fiend to the floor. His victorious grin was replaced with embarrassed frustration when Istavan and Remus burst out laughing; Rinda covered her mouth to hide a smile. In his hands was – of all the things it could possibly have been – a large black feather. He'd been too caught up in the excitement to remember he was traveling with strangers and couldn't afford to indulge in childish games anymore, not since that day. After a few moments the laughter finally died and they decided it was time to move on, Guin avoided any and all eye contact with them. He just traveled silently with them and ignored their attempts to talk to him; they were probably just going to poke fun at him anyway.

**00000000000000000000000000**

**Author's Note****:**

Here's part one of my short story. I'm still working mostly on my story Dark Skies but I wanted to have something to alternate between. Just a Reminder, I do NOT own the Guin Saga characters or the series story. Since I have no clue what Guin's past is I'm creating one for this. Hope you all like it so far.

…. I just noticed… the sides have been rather quiet lately. They're probably just taking a break… ah well.


	2. Chapter 2

**Eyes of the Innocent (Part 2)**

Guin had been quiet for a while now; his expression was subdued and downcast. Istavan couldn't help but start to feel a little bad when he finally noticed. He hadn't meant to seem rude when he laughed; it had just been so funny. After all, he'd never seen Guin do anything clumsy or silly, let alone playful. "Oy kid," Istavan turned and stood in front of the young leopard. "What?" Guin responded without looking him in the eyes, his voice was flat and withdrawn. _Damn… _"Look," He said while kneeling down to eye level, "If we offended you or hurt your feelings earlier when we laughed then I'm… I'm sorry." "No, it's nothing," Guin sighed as he finally met the mercenary's gaze, not bothering to say any more. The subject was dropped and they walked on, their little exchange did not go unnoticed by the others.

Rinda was deep in thought when the group came to a bend in the road, trying to think of any possible reason why Guin had apparently regressed. It didn't seem like he was in any immediate danger at the moment but they couldn't be too sure, and he couldn't stay that way either. It seemed almost too convenient when a cloaked figure stepped out onto the road bend, followed by a small boy in an oversized hat. The hooded man's gaze immediately flashed to Guin. _By Doal's beard…_ Stepping forward the man pulled back his hood to reveal a hard worn face framed by dark grey hair and a short beard. Istavan had his sword drawn as a warning. "Calm yourself", the man said in a commanding voice, experience and wisdom practically visible in his gaze, "I've come to discuss the matter of the spell on your friend." Guin was long out of earshot by this time along with Suni, they were hunting now that the group had stopped, and Guin wanted no part of whatever the Humans were talking about.

"And what is that exactly?" Rinda challenged while meeting the man's gaze. "You're young leopard friend," the man stated bluntly while grabbing the hatted boy by his arm, pulling him forward, "Regretfully, my apprentice is the cause of his current state." The group just stared in disbelief. "Explain yourself to them," The man commanded the apprentice sternly, who visibly flinched at the words. "It was my fault…" the boy said guiltily, "I was practicing summoning creatures when I accidentally summoned a Rotting Vine hound… the demon that attacked you yesterday." "That THING was because of you?!" Istavan and Remus both shouted, although Istavan's shout had more bite. "Let him finish," the man, who by now they guessed was a mage, said before signaling for the boy to continue. The kid swallowed hard, "I got there just as the leopard guy killed it and saw that he'd been scratched…" He trembled slightly, "The venom of a rotting vine hound is lethal and spreads fast, so I cast the first spell that came to mind to keep the guy alive…" Rinda was the first to respond after hearing what the boy said, "Is this spell permanent? Would reversing the spell kill him?" "The spell cannot be reversed," the mage said as he shooed his apprentice back to wherever they'd come from, "But it isn't permanent either. It'll wear off when the threat of the venom has ceased." The mage vanished before they could ask any more questions. Well, at least they had their answer. Now all they could do was wait.

**0000000000000000000**

Guin returned with Suni about 5 minutes after the mage had left, he was carrying what looked like a small deer. "Here", he said as he handed it to Istavan, his voice was no longer flat. He was obviously in a much better mood. "What happened to you?" Rinda exclaimed in shock, startling the cub. "What?" Rinda face-palmed, "You're covered in mud." He really was. Dried mud coated his body and clumped in his fur, some odd strands of grass and burrs clinging here and there. "So?" Guin said while glancing down, not seeing what the big deal was, "The deer was faster than I expected and I slipped. I still caught it though."

They had to admit one thing; he had managed to hunt a 'small' deer with his bare hands. That in itself was rather impressive. Rinda on the other hand would have none of it, "I'm impressed that you caught it, but still… you're filthy." Setting down her bag she crossed her arms and gave Guin a stern look, "You need a bath." To tell the truth they all needed one because of the long traveling, but Guin was the one who needed it the most for obvious reasons. "And where exactly would I do that?" he countered, though he was starting to feel itchy. "There has to be water to create mud," She stated with a satisfied grin, she was obviously pleased to be winning the argument. Guin gave in and showed them where he'd caught the deer, and sure enough there was a small lake close to where Guin had fallen.

Istavan – while they'd been waiting for Guin to return earlier – had mentioned to Rinda that they'd likely reach a town soon, which wasn't a good idea while Guin was still a kid. For once Remus had chimed in by agreeing that it would be almost impossible to hide Guin's appearance from the citizens. The Group had decided it was best to set up camp and wait. "Istavan," Rinda called over to him, "you can bathe too, and help Guin clean off." _Oh…_ Guin was the first to protest, "I can do that myself." Rinda just shrugged and walked off with Remus and Suni to start setting up camp. "I don't know about you…" Istavan said casually as he undressed, "But I'm gonna wash off at least."

Guin was glad Istavan didn't seem to be planning on doing anything to him. Realizing that the drying mud on his skin was started to get really REALLY uncomfortable he also started to approach the water, but stopped dead before he could begin to get ready. The calm crisp water had turned a deep crimson, its haunting waves lapping hungrily at the shore. The young leopard felt his body go numb and nearly gagged as the sickeningly salty sent of spilled blood reached his nostrils. It was too much. He could hear voices shouting and screaming in the distance, the cries were all too familiar.

Having realized that Guin hadn't gotten in yet Istavan looked back, his teasing words dying in his throat. The cub's eyes were clouded over and unfocused, his breathing was quick and his body was shaking badly. "Oy Oy Guin!" he shouted as he rushed over and knelt before him, placing a hand on his shoulder while looking in his eyes, "Guin are you there? What's going on?" The cub didn't respond right away, and Istavan could feel his rapid pulse. Something was seriously wrong.

Someone was calling his name, it seemed so distant. It wasn't until he felt a hand on his shoulder that he realized he was hearing the crimson mercenary Istavan. Blinking a few times the gory visage before him vanished, clear water rippling harmlessly in the afternoon light. "I'm fine," he mumbled while slipping out from the mercenary's hand, quickly sliding into the water before He could ask him about it. He heard the man get back in the water a little ways off while he furiously scrubbed at the mud, desperately trying to not think about what he'd seen. It was not something he liked to remember.

It wasn't long before the two were out and dried off. Istavan was still watching Guin closely while Guin was distracted with his thoughts, He needed a distraction. "Hey Istavan," Guin piped up suddenly, an idea having come to mind, "Would you mind sparring with me? I want to keep up my sword practice." "What?" the mercenary almost fell over. "Please?" Guin almost begged, the idea just seemed more and more appealing with each passing second. Not seeing any harm in it Istavan decided it was ok, the kid said he'd been practicing. Waiting until Rinda and Remus had left for their chance to bathe they each grabbed a sword and walked over to a small clearing. _Maybe this will help the kid relax a bit…_ The match started without warning as Guin swiftly ran in to deliver the first strike, just barely blocked in time by a startled Istavan. From there the match only grew in intensity, Guin was smiling despite the intense focus in his eyes. Istavan couldn't help but be impressed. It was obvious Guin had only managed to learn the basics so far yet he was able to deliver each move with both speed and strength. It took all the strength he had just to keep up with the young leopard while also trying to tone down the moves he used.

Time slowly ticked by as the two went head to head, blows becoming harder and more precise as the two grew comfortable with each other's rhythm. What had started as a dull clack was now a crisp sharp clang of metal on metal each time the swords collided. The buzz of energy vanished without warning when sparks flew from the swords. Guin froze, His eyes focused only on the clashing swords. Training had been a bad Idea, it was far too soon. Istavan noticed one second too late as a pained cry pierced the air. To his horror Guin fell back clutching his arm as blood seeped out between his fingers. "Guin I'm sorry, I'm so sorry… I didn't mean too…" He said as he dropped his sword and ran over. "It's not your fault," The wounded cub said while unsteadily standing up with Istavan's help, "I let my guard down… got distracted…" "And it was my job to keep control of my strikes in case that happened," Istavan interjected, the guilt knowing at him. "I still don't blame you." Using His red scarf the mercenary stopped the bleeding and made a makeshift bandage. He'd get a new one when they eventually headed to town. His only thought right now was that something had happened to Guin, something that would leave a mental scar.

**00000000000000000000**

**Author's note: **

Well that's part 2. Guin's past will be revealed in the next part, which I obviously made up since I have yet to buy the book series and read it. Hope you guys like it so far.

S1&2: Thumbs up!

…and it looks like you guys are back as well.

S2: Yup! We even tried to get some of the other sides to say hi… but that…

S1: It obviously didn't go so well

S3: I tried to warn you two… they're not going to say hi unless they want too.

Well, for those of you who want to know there are a total of 7 sides… although I'm glad Side 7 hasn't chimed in.

S1,2,&3: -Shudders-

Anyways… see you all next time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Eyes of the Innocent (Part 3)**

**() Dream/Memory ()**

A light breeze blew through the streets, still cold from the long night. It was late winter and snow still lay in patches on the ground. Guin was running down the road with two other cubs; a Cheetah named Lin and a lioness named Vivian. "Slow down Lin! We can't keep up when you run like that!" Vivian called through huffed breaths, her indignant look making Guin laugh. Lin just started running backwards so he could respond, "It's not my fault you're so slow Viv, at least Guin can kinda keep up." Vivian just glared at him in frustration but burst out laughing when he crashed into a passerby carrying a sac of fish. "Runnin' the wrong way again," the tiger-headed fisherman laughed, "I suggest you just run forward for now k? Don't think you'll be growin' eyes on the back of yur head any time soon."

Guin didn't laugh despite the silliness of the situation his friend was in, and Vivian stopped when she saw. _What is this feeling?_ He thought as a chill not caused by the cold ran up his spine. The Fisherman seemed to sense it too since his warm smile was quickly replaced with a furious stare. "Find you're parents and stay hidden!" the man growled while dropping his sac to grab his spear. The ground shook beneath them as clouds covered the sun. "What's happening?" "Just Go!" Guin ran to aid his friends as more men and women spilled into the streets, some donning armor while other's wielded tools or weapons. The three cubs bolted down the street in search of their families, some other cubs were doing the same. A loud boom resounded in the air sending a shockwave that knocked them to the ground while obliterating the nearby buildings.

Picking himself up Guin stopped in horror as his eyes settled on the scene before him. Fire was starting to spread among the buildings near the harbor, the attacker's where silhouetted by its light. The roar of a battlefield echoed around them as clashing swords sent sparks into the air. Tearing his eyes away from the battle Guin found his friends near the collapsed building they'd been running past, Lin was trapped. The cheetah was half buried in the ruble, blood trickling down an exposed arm from an unseen cut. "I-I can't feel my legs," Lin cried as Guin and Vivian tried to free him, only succeeding in removing the top piece. "Viv!" a large lion called from among the surrounding chaos before dashing over to them. "Dad he's stuck," Vivian cried in fear, as the sounds of battle seemed to only grow in intensity, "we can't get him out." "I'll get him out," he told her before turning to Guin, "You're mom and dad are looking for you Guin. You need to get home. I'll handle things here." Seeing Viv's mother running towards them Guin knew she'd be safe, so he turned and continued to run down the road.

The streets were filled with scattered battles as smoke from the harbor's fire spread in a black fog. Who ever these attackers were they weren't one of his kind. They attacked in droves, cloaked figures casting a dark energy of some kind while others attacked with swords and arrows. Bodies were scattered here and there, an equal amount from both sides, but there seemed to be no end to these creatures. Turning a corner Guin saw his home a little ways off; his parents were at the entrance with their weapons drawn. Several hooded figured were standing in front of them, the same strange energy emitting from them more powerfully than before. "Where is the cub?" the taller of the group demanded, his voice was like cracking ice. The tall Black armored Leopard stood his ground, powerful muscles straining against an unseen force. "What makes you think we'd tell you?" Guin's father growled in defiance, a wince being the only sign of pain when a surge of energy flashed towards him and drew blood. "You will tell us you freak!" The leader spat, his voice dripping with a venomous hate. Guin wanted to rush in and stop the strange beings but knew his parents wouldn't want him to. These creatures seemed to be looking for him._ But why?_ The fates were not on his side though and one of the cloaked figures spotted him before he could hide, "There's the Cub right there!"

The figures all turned on him, transferring their focus and dark powers towards him. A deafening crack filled the air as a dark bolt of lightning shot at him. It never came; instead striking the massive warrior that had suddenly jumped in the way. "DAD!" Guin cried in horror while the large leopard lay motionless before him, blood pouring from the scorched gaping hole in his chest. Guin's mother was locked in combat with the creatures, her sleek form weaving among the men while clashing swords as her own energy called magic lashed out at her opponents. "Guin," she called sadly as a dagger plunged into her shoulder and broke her focus, "I love you…" Letting out a roar that could turn blood to ice she reached a hand towards her frightened cub, her power enveloping him in a blinding light just as the leader of the attackers slit her throat. The sight of his mother's tears as she died was the last thing he saw before the light blocked his view and he vanished from the scene.

He was standing at the water's edge when the light dissipated, his homeland visible across the body of water. Fire arched into the sky as it consumed more of the town. Smoke blackened out the sun, the burning air casting a crimson light onto the waves while the dying cries of his people echoed like some dreadful song before being swallowed by dead silence.

**() End dream ()**

**0000000000000000000000**

"NOOOOOOOO!" a piercing scream ripped into the night sky, startling everyone awake. Istavan turned to see Guin curled into a ball with his head buried in his knees while choked violent sobs wracked his trembling form. Brushing quickly past Rinda, who knew by now about the hidden bond the mercenary seemed to have, he was by the cub's side in seconds. "Hey, hey… You're awake now, you'll be ok," Istavan said as he placed a warm hand on Guin's shoulder. He knew better than to say it was just a dream. Guin was mumbling something too quietly to be heard clearly, the pattern repeating in an endless loop. Rinda was now by his side as well, desperately wanting to hug the young cub but settling instead on placing a hand on his other shoulder, "We're here for you Guin, you're not alone." Shaky gasps could be heard as Guin struggled to calm down, his eyes were fixed on the ground. Istavan sat down next to him, a serious yet worried expression in his eyes, "Something bad happened to you didn't it… was that what you were dreaming about?"

His guard was completely gone by this point, the tone of Istavan's voice telling him they were genuinely worried. _These humans aren't the ones who attacked… _Taking in a shaky breath Guin nodded in response while trying to get his thoughts in place. "My homeland was attacked…" he started quietly, gathering his strength and courage before he continued and told them about what happened.

Guin had managed to steady his breathing by the time he'd finished and finally took his eyes off of the ground. They were looking at him with sympathy and horror, not a single word coming from them. "Thank you…" Guin finally broke the silence, glad that he wasn't alone anymore. He'd been on the run since then and was always looking over his shoulder. Having finally calmed down Guin yawned and lay down, sound asleep in a matter of seconds. Watching the sleeping cub Istavan ran what he'd just heard over and over in his mind, Rinda and Remus appeared to be doing the same. He couldn't help but see Guin differently after finding out about part of his past, and found himself wondering what else had happened to Guin between this age to the man they'd grown to know before. A soft sigh interrupted his thoughts as a pair of strong yet small arms wrapped around his leg. _Looks like I'm stuck here for the night_ Istavan chuckled a bit; _he is still a kid after all. _

**00000000000000**

**Author's Note:**

One more part left after this. Hope you've all been enjoying it so far.

S2: Awwwww. Guin's hugging Istavan In his sleep.

S1: He's a kid, wa'd you expect? You're NOT reading too much into it are you?

S2: Maaaabye… maybe not.

S1: Ugh…


	4. Chapter 4

**Eyes of the Innocent (final part)**

He hadn't slept that peacefully in a long time, not since the attack on his homeland. He was not alone anymore. Sitting upright and stretching out to wake up Guin allowed himself to just soak in the warmth of the sunlight as it filtered through the over-hanging trees. Rinda and Remus had just left to refill the canteens with water while Sunni happily went about collecting wild berries. To him these people were beginning to seem like close friends. Out of the whole group the Crimson Mercenary seemed to be the most understanding of Guin though and he'd grown attached to him, it was like having an older brother. _Wait a minute… where is Istavan?_

At first he told himself he was just being overly jumpy since he HAD been on edge since the whole thing began, but couldn't shake the urge to look for him. It wasn't until he realized that Istavan's sword was still lying near the campfire that he gave in and went to look for him. Grabbing the sword Guin found a scent trail and followed it in a quiet run. The camp disappeared in seconds as the trees steadily became denser, effectively casting long dark shadows over his path. He wasn't lost though, at least not yet since the trail was still fresh. Continuing his pursuit the young cub sped along until a coppery scent caught his attention. _Blood?_ It was Istavan's.

There wasn't much, just a few droplets on a fallen twig, but the many potential causes worried him. Steeling himself for whatever was going on Guin turned and sprinted onward in hopes of finding his friend soon, focusing his senses as best as he could to find any hints of danger. The sun was almost completely blotted out by the trees by now and the trail was getting frowned out by other scents, stronger scents. Had the cub been older and more experienced he would have noticed the subtle changes in the air and heard the soft crackling of footsteps approaching him from the left. There was something following him, waiting for the best chance to strike.

The creature followed Guin silently, eyeless sockets glaring ominously. It was a Noktune Chimera, summoned by a Mongaul Sorcerer under orders to locate the leopard warrior rumored to be protecting the twin pearls. Its primary goal was to disarm and capture him if at all possible but was given orders to kill if not. Chimera are not generally intelligent, but Noktune are the exception. It knew its prey was weaker than it usually was so killing it was not necessary; injuring it however was another matter entirely. Emitting a high-pitched screech the chimera lunged forth and knocked the surprised cub into a nearby tree.

Part of the trunk splintered on impact as Guin struggled to regain his breathing. His eyes went wide with fear when he saw his attacker. It was a large beast – approximately 8 feet in length – that had the body of a wolf. A single row of glistening black spikes ran the length of its spine to four sleek black tails that waved in a mad frenzy. The creature's legs were long and furless with the bones protruding through the flesh, a web of veins and muscles weaving over the surface and wrapping around the almost humanoid paws. What had the cubs attention however was the chimera's head and… wings? The head had no eyes, ears, or nose; it was practically a skeleton with thin strands of flesh stretched across and complete with a long mouth lined with dagger like teeth. The wings bore a similar appearance. _What is this thing?!_

Rolling sharply to the side Guin broke free of its grasp and ran, knowing full well he was not yet strong enough to fight such a thing. The creature was fast and easily caught up in mere minutes, narrowly missing its mark when it pounced after the cub. Swiping his blade in a long ark Guin left a deep cut in the creature's flank, distracting it for only a moment. His body was a blur as he bolted along the hazardous terrain, dodging low branches and leaping over exposed roots. It was a futile attempt though and the Noktune was on him in a flash. Razor sharp teeth snapped at his legs, forcing him to turn abruptly where his foot caught on a gnarled root and tripped him. Had he been human his leg would have snapped right there and then, but instead the root was torn from the ground, bringing with it debris as it snapped away from the tree and pinned Guin to the bottom of a boulder.

Seeing its chance the chimera leapt after its prey, but never reached it. With a sickeningly audible slice the creature slumped at the base of the uprooted tree, the top half of its head having been sliced clean off by non-other that the crimson Mercenary. Istavan spat at it in disgust before turning his attention to the fallen cub who was staring at him with wide tear-filled eyes. "What happened to you?" Guin asked shakily before crying out when the debris were lifted clumsily off his leg, "You were gone and I… I smelled blood." Kneeling in front of him Istavan gave a half-smile. "I saw some odd footprints and went to check it out… cut my arm on a low branch while looking," he lied, well… half lied. He had seen footprints but got his cut from the chimera when he found it earlier. He'd been in pursuit since. His face grew serious when he glanced down at the cub's injured leg, it was swelling and covered in scrapes and cuts, "We should get you back to camp." Scooping Guin into his arms he couldn't help but notice how badly the kid was shaking. He didn't say anything but instead opted to cradle him closer as he turned to head back. The silence was broken only once when a tired voice spoke up, "Thank you… Istavan…"

**000000000**

Guin had developed a fever alarmingly fast during the walk back and was unconscious by the time they'd reached camp. Remus had rushed to get some water – was that seriously all he knew to do? – but was stopped by Rinda who said he just needed rest. There wasn't much point in arguing otherwise since she seemed to know more than she was saying, and the fever wasn't getting any worse.

Istavan was wide awake when the change occurred this time. He watched in worry and cautious hope as a soft warm light enveloped the sleeping cub's form before expanding and brightening to an almost blinding level. When the light faded the cub was gone, a full grown leopard man in its place. The spell was gone. Unlike last time however the injuries Guin had didn't vanish, he still had a cut on his arm and his leg was still swollen and bleeding. That worried him. The moment Guin began to stir he was there.

"I'm alright Istavan," Guin grumbled while slowly sitting up. He was well aware of the injuries but was able to ignore the majority. Istavan was still looking worried. Rinda and the others returned from gathering supplies right about then. "Look! Guin is back!" Remus shouted excitedly while Sunni bounced happily. Rinda looked happy too, but she also looked concerned, "Guin… do you remember any of what happened?" Judging by Istavan's expression he was wondering the same thing. After a small pause Guin just shrugged and nodded, "I do." Remus started chattering excitedly about something or other but Guin didn't really listen, his mind was more focused on the fact that he actually did remember. More importantly he was thinking about the memories he regained because of what happened. The twins went about talking to one another over various topics but Istavan just sat and watched the warrior, having a pretty good idea as to what he was thinking.

Prying was not really something he normally did, but after the past few days the crimson mercenary felt he should at least ask. "Hey, you alright?" Guin gave a half smile, breathing out an exhausted sigh, "yeah… I'm just finding that I have more questions than I do answers."

**0000000000**

**Author's Note****:**

Figured this was as good a spot as any to end it. Hope you guys enjoyed the story.


End file.
